


The First of Many

by ArteRegret



Series: Multiplying Dovahkiin [3]
Category: Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Genre: Daedric Prince Granted Power, Dark Brotherhood - Freeform, Dawnstar - Freeform, Eventual Fluff, F/M, Falkreath, Original Character(s)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-06-10
Updated: 2017-01-03
Packaged: 2018-04-03 20:18:34
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,075
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4113589
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArteRegret/pseuds/ArteRegret
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When the first Listener and daughter of Sithis is taken by a Daedric Prince and returns to Nirn years later, disaster has struck the Brotherhood and Licidia will fight to restore it to its old ways. With a power granted her by Mehrunes Dagon, will the Night Mother accept her original Listener into the family again or will she be shunned from her kin for having a tainted body and soul? Will her new found powers and discovery of being a Dragonborn change her in ways she never knew possible?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Rude Awakening

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After her release from Mehrunes Dagon's realm, Licidia finds herself burning with anger and having to fight to get out of his clutches before she can find her family who is, hopefullly, nearby. Naked and with no clue where she is, she decides to make the most of her new life and discover where the hell he dropped her at.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's shorter than most of the other first chapters. hope you enjoy.

My face was met with the snow harshly, the cold wearing on my already sore body from Dagon's torture. 

"Here," his voice boomed around me as i stood up and looked at his shrine, a stone figure of his form sitting above a door, massive and not near as terrifying as the real prince. "Your final task before i relenquish you to cause disaster to this world. Consider my razor a gift." I now noticed the two other men standing opposite the alter from me, both looking as if they were looking at a rabid wolf. "Kill the two and ill release you from my hold." I felt his words ring in my mind and dove for the razor floating above the alter, the moment my hand met the hilt my body turning into a solid steel the blade was and metal wings erupting from my back. Pirouetting on my feet, the wings unfurled and lashed into both men's chests. I lifted them high, allowing their bodies to fall deeper on the blade of my wing. They both breathed their last and i gazed up at Mehrunes shrine. 

"Is that all? Am i able to leave now?" I shreiked uo at the figure. "Will you torment me no more you foul being?" Laughter boomed around me before he spoke once more. 

"Yes. Youre free. Have fun with my pets." He dismissed. On his final word two dremora were summoned into nirn and both raised steel weapons high before rushing at me. I let the two dead bodies drop from me before i rushed forward, shoving my wings behind me and forming my hands into sharpened steel. Both dremoras blades met my metallic skin and broke on contact. Before their surprised gasp could reach their throats my blade pierced through both. Their bodies fell to the ground and crouched. Willing my skin to return to its normal alabaster and pliable skin and feeling the wings recede into my skin, i started searching their satchels. Deciding to lift some coin and a greatsword off of them, i moved to the priest and warrior i first killed. Tugging the robes off the priest and placing them over my naked body and pulling on the boots was the easy part. Looking down at the now naked man, i took pity on the poor soul already resting in Dagons realm.

With a final glace up at the shrine and a prompt 'fuck you' to the statue placed there, I set off down the path. after hours upon hours of treading through a snowy and freezing path, the cold finally let up and i was welcomed by the sent of swamp water and an (although barely) warmer air. I walked down a small hill and heard a commotion of voices collecively arguing with a guard standing post outside a big wooden hall.

"Excuse me." i was ignored by the crowd, much to my displeasure and i decided to talk louder. "Excuse me!" A rather furious gaze from a woman dressed in clothes hardly befitting the weather.

"What?" and then i noticed her eyes and the feral look she was giving me. Hazel but angry, and a faint smell of blood about her. A vampire. I cooly regarded her and put on my best of smiles.

"Yes, i was wondering where i was. You see, i got lost." her temper lessened but she still gave me a dismissive answer.

"You're in Morthal traveller." Morthal. I was in Skyrim? i thanked her and asked for the nearest inn. She pointed over to a larger looking building off of a boardwalk that followed the marsh. after a quick walk through i heard a small argument between the inn keep and a stern looking argonian.

"Look, i cant have you performing your magic in my inn. Its bad enough that the people dislike Falion, but at least hes secret about this." she seemed rather irritated with something he was doing. i hid myself behind the pole by the door and ignored the droning of the terrible bard singing too far off key for my liking and toned in on their conversation.

"Sorry," he hissed out. "I'll have to move out to the swamps at this rate." his voice was rather kinder than most Argonians i had run into before, although gruff and hissing. "I'll have to talk to the Jarl about it, although i doubt any good will come out of it. the woman doesnt trust me." i heard the keep scoff.

"Could it possibly be because you openly practice necromancy?" i blinked a moment. Necromancy. as in raising the dead. why would anyone want to focus in that? "If youre going to practice, do it elsewhere. dont cause me and my brother more trouble. its the last thing we need." i heard footsteps and decided to push the door openly like i had just entered and almost ran into the man.

"Oh. Pardon me." he tipped his head in my direction and walked through the door. i smoothly walked up to the barkeep and began my questioning toward where i was.

"Hello." i shocked her by how quietly i had walked up and she was facing the opposite direction. she visibly jumped and before she could reply i pushed on. "Could i rent a room?" she clambered around to face me.

"Yeah, as long as you dont plan on sneaking up on me like that again." she had a friendly disposition but was obviously not trusting me. "It'll be 10 coins." i fumbled around in the pack i swiped off the priest and was extremely thankful i picked up the gold that was on him. i handed over to her.

"Im pretty new to skyrim and im looking for..." i fumbled for a minute, thinking of the main sanctuary we had here. "...Dawnstar. do you know where it's at?" she took out a map from behind the counter and laid it out in front of me.

"Ill mark it for free, but i can sell you the map for 5 septims." i quickly pulled out the coins again and handed her 5 pieces. "Here." she circled it with a quill on the bar. "Thats where youll need to go. do you want me to show you to your room?" i accepted her offer and set my things down on the floor by the bed. Sliding off my boots and laying down i thought of the passphrases we used at the doors. Peace, blood, harvest, silence, and innocence. i kept repeating them in my head and let the words lull me to sleep.


	2. Home Again, Home Again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Licidia returns to a former home, and upon finding it abandoned with no trace of life, she loses her mind to worry over if all sanctuaries are left like this.

Upon awakening, i noticed two things. One, i was in a painfully awkward position with my body half off the wooden frame of the bed. And two, there was no sunlight streaming through the small window. Night time. i stretched my arms high above my head and began playing with the new power i had found. I touched the wood of the night table and willed my hand to change, turning just as wooden and surprisingly flexible. i then chuckled to myself.

"limber lumber, i'll have to remember that." i muttered, retracting my hand and allowing it to take form of my scarred light skin. i reached for my satchel, pulling out the map and studying the two areas the barkeep had marked the day before and plotting the trip to the sanctuary. It'd be long and cold and awful, but i needed to find mother, to find my brothers and sisters. Surely mother would've found another listener to fill the gap i left? i then began pondering that hole, i had built the brotherhood up so much, creating sanctuary after sanctuary throughout all of Tamriel. Surely this didnt collapse? mother wouldnt allow that, not after all of the work that went into this. I had hoped and hoped that my 300 years of influence on the brotherhood's beginnings wouldnt go to waste. I then began to worry, chewing on my lips idly as i stared at this map.

Innocence. The one word my work would rely on, the only way to test what ive built. Would this be enough? i still wasnt sure on how long Dagon had kept me, but i was well aware it felt like centuries must have passed. i'd have to find some history book at some point. but the matter at hand, my family, my home. i kept the map out, stuffing the gold pouch into the little satchel i had bought from the barkeep and set upon my way, following a small rocky road and setting my aching feet in motion, glancing down to my map on occasion.

It seemed like eternities had passed as i travelled through the darkness, blending myself into the shadows and following the gravel until the sun began peeking above the mountains that seemed endless around me. i gathered a stone on my way, rolling it about in my hand and attempting to change my flesh into the substance for the hours upon hours i had set on foot. i managed to get it to become rock like, my flesh seeming brittle and jagged. i gave up after a few attempts to no true avail and stuffed the rock in my bag, deciding to try it more later. I walked a while further, feeling the sun beam on my skin and lavishing in the feeling after the chill of the wind burned my face. I spotted a town ahead after hours of monotonous landscape. i kicked the snow about and entered the small town with no wall of any sort. i hardly recognized this place as Dawnstar, the only thing being the same is the small port. i wondered through the city, comparing my memories of the cold retched place. Skyrim was always so cold, and having been in the empty depths of Dagon's plane for so long, the cold seemed even more excrutiatingly painful, especially on my feet which were in tight tattered boots with no protection. I then realized that i needed to get better armor or clothing and started looking for a shop. I found a tavern and stepped inside to the bustling noise of the inn.

A small child was bustling around, a pot in hand and dodging all of the adults who were gathering their morning breakfasts here. I was vaguely aware of a priest of Mara sitting on a bench idly eating bread and i took in the delicious smells of seared salmon and beef stock in a stew over the fire. I slid past the small crowd and up to the barkeep. I offered what little bit of coin i had left in exchange for cabbage and potato soup, a loaf of bread, and a small jug of milk. The Nord laughed at me, muttering something about Imperials always being milk drinkers, which raised my brow, but i held my tongue and scurried off to a table set in the back, basking in the warmth of my soup. Surely my return home could be put off for the few minutes it took me to eat my small and fulfilling breakfast. After my last swig of milk, i left the inn and began walking across the small town, my feet still sore but i had no coin to spare now. I'd find boots when i returned to the sanctuary. Everything led up to this. 

I was lost in though before i stumbled upon the door. Nerves and excitement were pricking in the corner of my mind but i pressed on.

"What... Is life's... Greatest... Illusion?" the door whispered out in a creaky voice resembling that of Sithis himself.

"Innocence, my brother." my voice came out softly and the door unlocked with a click.

"Welcome... home..." I pushed it open gently, allowing myself time to try to relax my aching body. Mother would not be in this sanctuary, so by no means should i expect to feel her presence tickling in my head. I used this thought to try to wash down the sense of dread that arose from the chilly hallway before i took my first few steps. No torches were lit, this wasn't looking good already. rounding the corner, i stared into a bleak darkness before calling candlelight to my fingertips. Using the torch i roamed further down the hallway, the feeling of dread turning like a knife in my stomach and my heart dropping when i found the main hall empty, the tables destroyed and glass shattered all around. i pushed open a broken wooden door and roamed into what seemed to be the only part of the sanctuary left well preserved, with a bed in the corner, but no signs of recent life aside from a lack of dust and the pungent smell of fire in the air. A small bit of hope relight my heart. Someone has been here, maybe not within the past days, but within the past weeks if the smell has stayed. There were no belongings, however. They've packed and left. my mind began flurrying around. Where would a brother or sister go if their sanctuary here was destroyed? Where was the next closest sanctuary? It felt like the world had turned quickly and i was hardly along for the ride before my mind whispered to me

"Falkreath." i sighed aloud. I had to get there. I pulled the map out again, finding the quickest and hopefully warmest path to get there. I vaguely remembered Falkreath being in the southwest corner of Skyrim, close to the Cyrodiil border. There was a path leading down from Dawnstar into another hold and down to the city crest in the southwest corner. I would travel there, in that direction. Id find coin or new boots along the way somehow to cure my aching feet, and i decided to begin my journey now, while there was daylight. I rolled the map back up and crossed the town again, asking a guard if that was the correct path to go. Upon a few corrections, he gave me markers to let me know how far i would be at a certain time. I began walking on the path out of town, pulling out my rock and playing with my new power again. Theres no such thing as too much practice.


	3. Delayed Burial

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A chance encounter strikes when Licidia happens upon a strange man also on his way to Falkreath. They make fast friends and find they have more in common than initially thought.

I ran into very few people on my way, mostly guards on patrol, one time a few soldiers leading a prisoner, but i continued on without a pause until i reached a farm. A mans wagon wheel had collapsed and left him with no way to haul a large wooden box in the back. I was going to simply pass before i felt a tug in my mind and stared at the box, feeling drawn towards it for some odd reason. I knew i had to help him.

"Hello." i had barely breathed the word before the short red head began squealing a hello. "What seems to be the problem?"

With a harrumph he gives me a short glare and a gesture towards his wheel. "As you can see," his voice seemed to raise a pitch, "Poor Cicero's wheel has fallen off. The mean farmer Loreius refuses to help Cicero, will you, stranger? I'm just trying to bury my late mother, you see. Her old crypt became unfit..." his voice had dropped from scathing to somewhat sad and distant like he was reliving hard memories.

"Well, you can see i am without tool nor knowledge of how to fix this carriage. The best help i might offer is convincing the farmer to do what is right and help you." He perked up at my words and his voice changed from deadly to friendly.

"You'd be willing to do that for me?" he smiled brightly "Cicero will compensate you greatly with coin. Shiny, clinky gold, if you will talk to Loreius for him." i gave a slight chuckle and nodded my head.

"Consider it done, I'll have the wicked farmer down here at once." I strode up the hill and came across a woman leaning against a fence post. "Are you here about the Cicero fella?" i nodded and she inclined her head in the direction of a man tending some potatoes in a garden. "You'll want to talk to him. Good luck though. I've been trying to convince him to help all day to no avail." she stood up and motioned with her hand for me to follow her.

"What is it now?" the man growled when he realized a stranger was on his lawn yet again. "I already said no and thats final!"

"Vantus, he got a stranger to sympathize with him, yet you are here acting like an angry troll about it."

"I mean," I piped up, my voice feeling strong and sure, as i knew it would take a bit of persuasion to change his mind, "She is right, and as i've just met you, i can already say it doesnt suit you well." His wife let out a laugh.

"I like her."

"Well, what do you want me to do about it? As far as i know he could be carrying war contraband and i don't want to get caught in that, do you?" He spat, as if it would change my mind.

"You're an Imperial. Did they not raise you to behave neighborly? to give others the benefit of the doubt and lend a helping hand." at my words his face dropped from angry to very neutral as his wife got wide eyed and looked like she was ready to clap. "He is a poor man, who obviously isn't all there, who is desperately trying to bury his dead mother and here you are acting as if he shouldn't be allowed a goodbye." Loreius' face dropped when he realized the truth in my words.

"You're right. I'm sorry i acted so un-neighborly." he let out a sigh and headed towards his home. "Tell that Cicero fella that I'll be down there in a minute to fix his wheel. I just need to grab my tools." His wife's jaw dropped and she turned to me.

"So you changed his mind, I'll have to have you over for dinner so you can show me your ways." she chuckled and waved a goodbye before tending to her crops again. I set down the hill where Cicero was waiting with baited breath as to what the answer was at last. 

"So? So? what did Loreius say, kind stranger?" he had such an air of excitement about him that i couldn't help but smile and cheer up.

"He'll be down in a moment to fix your wheel for you." He jump and hoorah-ed before clasping me in a hug that caught me off guard and nearly crushed me. He had a lot of strength for such a small man.

"Thank you! Thank you! With your help Cicero will make it to Falkreath in no time!" he cheered for a minute more before stopping and realizing he had forgotten something. "Oh! your gold, as promised!" he plopped a rather plump coin purse into my hand before peering over my shoulder at the farmer coming with his tools. "And thank you, Loreius!" to which he muttered and began putting the wheel back in shape and attaching it.

"Wait, Cicero, did you say you were going to Falkreath?" he turned to look at me and nodded enthusiastically.

"Oh, yes, yes! Mother's new crypt will be MARVELOUS there!" He chirped.

"Isn't it the biggest cemetery in Tamriel?" Loreius peeped from his spot beneath the carriage.

"Yes, indeed it is. That's what Falkreath is most known for." Cicero turned back to me. "Say, I am on a journey there myself, would you mind if i rode along with you there?" i lifted my boot to show him the tattered remnants. "I've somewhat worn my boots ragged and a ride in a bumpy carriage sounds a lot better than a brisk walk through si- gods know what to get there." Cicero tilted his head at my near slip up but shrugged it off, Loreius never caught it anyhow. 

"I suppose Cicero would not mind the company of another on his way there, especially of someone as kind and pretty as you." he smile brightly at me and offered his hand. "I am Cicero, and you are?" 

I took his hand, marveling at the fact that he felt the need to introduce himself after his saying his name so many times as it is. "I am Licidia." he shocked my by instead kissing the back of my hand rather than shaking it and my mouth fell open as my cheeks flushed.

"A pleasure." he grinned devilishly at me before hearing Loreius clear his throat.

"Ahh, well, i've finished working on your wheel. You might be able to make it to Whiterun before too long." he then attempted to walk away, clearly not comfortable being around the jester any longer.

"Cicero has not forgotten about you sir!" he plucked another fat coin purse from his sack as Loreius sighed and turned around. Upon Cicero plopping the sack into the man's hand, his eyes widened and he stuttered.

"Th-thank you." Before rushing up the small hill to his home to show his wife the spoils of his help. I began assisting Cicero in bridling the horse back onto the carriage and climbed up next to him in the front seat. A warm feeling tingled in the back of neck and i turned around and looked at the box for a second, very unsure of what was going on, but content to have helped Cicero, no matter how weird the sensation was. 

"So, Licidia, Cicero wonders where you hail from?" I chuckled and turned in my sea so i was facing him as he guided the horse.

"Cyrodiil, like most Imperials. I left it long ago however. I am new to Skyrim though." He seemed satisfied enough with the answer.

"Would you like to play a game? The country side begins to bore Cicero in a short amount of time, but he rather likes talking to you."

"Well, that depends. What game do you have in mind?" I didn't mind the jesters way of speaking in third person and i admired his motley as i spoke to him, actually taking in the look of the first person i had spoken to extensively in Skyrim. He would absolutely be remembered even after our departure from each other in Falkreath.

"Cicero thought asking questions would be a wonderful way of getting to know eachother." he grinned. "He is quite curious about someone who wears a Mythic Dawn robe but nearly utters the word Sithis instead when told of who they worship." For the first time, i took in what i was wearing, not thinking much of it. It was probably quite queer to see someone in cultist robes speaking of the divines, let alone Sithis.

"Ahh, and so you've caught me. I secretly did not wish for anyone to know that i worship a daedra and decided it best to fake out a stranger with an old god most have no knowledge of to be replaced with the divines." it was my turn to grin. "If you must know, i picked these up from a priest who got in my way while i found myself unclothed. As for Sithis, my family was not like most families." i spoke somewhat freely, no one but the brotherhood would quite get how we saw eachother as family. I did, however, choose wisely to leave some things unspoken and discreetly skirted around some details. "We worshiped Sithis, he was an old god and we viewed his power to be the almighty rather than his branches out of the divines. Hes a creator, they are merely his creations." I shrugged my Cicero seemed to nod in agreement.

"Most do not understand that side of Sithis as Cicero and you do. I share your belief." He smiled brightly and continued. "Cicero has another question." The sun had fallen and we were pulling up to a crossing in the roads by a meadery. The sign pointed to the right for Whiterun but he continued forward and i cocked my head to the side. 

"As do i have a question for you." he glanced at me quizzically. "Why are we not stopping in Whiterun like Loreius had suggested?" he waved my direction.

"Cicero feels it best to press on rather than stop for breaks so much. If you get tired, you may fall asleep. Cicero does not mind." he pressed the carriage up the hill, his horse seemed fine, as it had probably got enough rest from the stop at the farm. When he sees me staring at the horse he cools my worries "We had only come from Dawnstar. Our ship arrived yesterday. Cicero was sure to give him plenty of oats and apples at the farm." He giggled. "Loreius' wife has a soft spot for horse it seems. She brought him what she could without her husband getting irritated." i smiled at that. She was a very kind elf, and i regretted not learning her name. "But, on to Cicero's question. What is Licidia going to Falkreath for?" 

I had to measure my words carefully but settled on stating the altered truth. "I have family there i haven't seen in a very long time and would very much like to reunite myself with them. They aren't in the city, however. They live outside in the woods somewhere, and i'll have to do some searching to find them." He nodded in contentment with the answer. He began whistling a son as we passed through another town, the moonlight reflecting off the water gave its mill a soft glow and the town seemed alive despite it being nighttime. After a little while, Cicero's soft singing and whistling became faint and i glanced over to see him drifting off, the past couple of nights must have been hard on him. I pulled the reigns from his hands which startled him awake, but i shushed him and pulled out my map. He drifted back into sleep and slumped over, leaning onto my shoulder for support as he softly snored. I set my map on the floorboard and set my foot on it and slowly adjusted him so that his head was resting in my lap and i returned to guiding the horse along he pathways. Soon, both me and Cicero's mother would be at ease in our new homes. Though the feeling of dread still gnawed at my stomach, i knew i could easily find a friend again if i came up empty handed yet again. I pulled the rock back out of my satchel.


	4. Sanctuary

I had little success with transforming my skin along the way to Falkreath, managing to form my hand and up to my forearm into stone for merely a few seconds before it would return to my alabaster flesh. Falkreath was quite a journey in itself, and we managed to reach it at the crack of dawn. When the first beams of light struck against Cicero's face, he opened his eyes slowly and groaned, surely the wooden planks left him stiff and the bumps in the road would do no good for joints either. When he realized he was in my lap, however, he nearly leaped to sit up straight and went wide eyed.

"Erm, pardon me sweet Licidia, Cicero had not anticipated being so exhausted as to..." he trailed off and his cheeks flushed "He had not meant to end in your lap." I chuckled and handed the reigns back to him.

"It is of no consequence to me that you slept, I've rested enough for a lifetime i assure you. Besides that, I myself am much too anxious to get to my family to think of sleeping at the present." as i said this, the tall walls of Falkreath approached the carriage and a guard stopped us short of entering the small town.

"Have either of you seen a dog out there?" i cocked my head to the side, recalling a few stray dogs along the way but none seemed significant at the time.

"I might have seen one back a ways, but i can't be sure of that." the guard seemed to take my answer and directed me to a fellow named Lod for further information. "Cicero, i believe its time for us to part ways now." i said, looking back to the jester whose spirits seemed to drop upon the realization that this was our stop.

"Yes, i believe it is. Please send for Cicero in any time of need," his voice dropped to a gentle tone. "Even if you are just in need of company. Send mail to this inn. Cicero will check for mail weekly." he smiled at me, not a grin, but a genuine smile.

"I will try." i made a mental note to actually keep in contact with him. "Feel free to do the same for me. I wish the best to you and your mother." A warm feeling seemed to tickle my mind and i glanced back towards the box before hopping out of the carriage. "Farewell, Cicero. May we meet again soon." i gave him a final wave before setting off down the path heading North out of Falkreath.

The path was short and i found myself getting a little lost. I tried to stray from my rock so i might focus on the task at hand lest i miss the path leading off the road. I had only visited this sanctuary a handful of times, but my feet still found their way and soon I was walking upon the black pond surrounded by nightshade. Taking in the view of the unnatural pond and deadly flowers, I turned on my heel and spotted the black door. If no one was here, I don't know if my family was still alive and active. If they were drove from Skyrim, perhaps there was a chance of them being left in Cyrodiil, but the thought of another sanctuary fallen had me feeling like there was a stone in the pit of my stomach. I padded towards the Black Door.

"What... Is the music... of life?"

I sighed and whispered, "Silence, my brother." the hum of the door gave way to a soft click as I was granted entry.

"Welcome... Home..." My footsteps echoed around me, not at all helping the thrum of my heart. The torches were lit this time, and there was a smell of fresh fire and in the distance i could hear the clamour of a hammer forming metal. Warmth flooded my body and i felt happy tears well up in my eyes. I tread down the steps opening into the stone room, at the other end a woman clad in Shrouded Armor without the hood was leaning against the door frame. Upon seeing me, her dagger was in her hand and accusation was in her eyes. I raised my hands submissively.

"Who are you and how did you get in here?" she growled out at me.

"I am Licidia. I am-" something held my tongue on saying I'm the listener. A small voice in the back of my head saying to wait. "-of the dark brotherhood as well. I am a member from Cyrodiil." her face relaxed and an awe struck look took place of the angry one.

"I- we were told everyone was dead except one, but we were informed that it was a man." she paused for a minute. "Where is your armor? Did you bring Mother with you?"

My heart dropped and then picked up a beat. Mother was still alive, but Cyrodiil had fallen. I had to think quick, they would not believe what had actually happened. It was already hard for me to swallow that. "I couldn't travel in my armor. It isn't exactly conspicuous. Unfortunately, i lost my bag containing it as well. You wouldn't happen to have any robes would you?" She accepted my lie and directed me towards the robes sitting on the dresser. "As of Mother, I was not the one to bring her. I fled Cyrodiil." I didn't want to go into details. It wouldn't do to ruin my lie with false guesses. "So there must have been another survivor." I swallowed hard and started to take off my boots, hoping that my words were picked well enough to be believable.

"Perhaps. We'll see soon enough. He was supposedly on his way, but never gave us a day to expect him." Upon seeing me start to undress, she directed me to the bedroom off of the room. "You can change in there."

"Thank you." I gathered the cloth into my hands and padded into the room. I stripped the robes from me, wiping what filth i could off of myself before deciding it wasn't a battle worth fighting at the moment. I pulled the shrouded robes on gingerly, lavishing in the feeling of clean cloth and feeling the enchantments buzz against my skin. I pulled the shoes on once the robes were adjusted and comfortable. Then i slid into the fingerless gloves and opted to leave the hood off.

I padded back out to the woman. "Sorry for being so crass earlier. With all that happened in Cyrodiil, I can't afford to let my guard down." She extended her hand to me. "I'm Astrid, I am the matron of this sanctuary. So long as you obey the rules and listen to my commands, we will get along perfectly fine." I nodded and took her handshake. "I'm assuming you're exhausted from the trip. Feel free to stay here for a bit and rest. Go meet your fellow brothers and sisters, sleep, eat. When you're ready for a contract, talk to Nazir. Welcome home." she offered me a smile and motioned down the stairs.

_I'm home._ Emotions buzzed around me and I felt the threat of tears and swallowed nervously. _I'm home, but this doesn't feel right..._ After years, decades, centuries maybe of being stolen away by Dagon, I am finally home, but not to Mother. That must be why it doesn't feel quite right. I traipsed down the steps and into a large underground cave. A small waterfall babbled idly to the right and a forge was burning brightly to my left. In the center of the room my fellow members were gathered and laughing about a story. In the center of them was a... _child?_   But that's preposterous. I wandered closer and finally noticed the amber glow of her eyes. A vampire, that's why a child would be allowed. I glanced around at the group, a silver-haired Nord without shoes stood to my left, a brightly colored Argonian sat on the ground looking up at the group, two mages stood on the opposite side from me, one an old man and one a seemingly young dunmer woman, lastly, a Reguard stood to my right. He was about a half a foot taller than me with a red and black garb on that made him look like he was freshly from the desert. I decided to explore the sanctuary more as they exchanged stories and barely acknowledged I was there. I found a small laboratory with an alchemy set up and an enchanting table. A frostbite sat in a pit a little further down. I moved on to the next room, a dining hall with beds up a set of stairs. I sat on a bed and felt the softness of the furs, suddenly realizing how tired I was after finding my home at last. I laid down and closed my eyes, taking in a deep breath and relaxing into the bed.

\---

_I was back in the carriage with Cicero, he was cackling and telling me jokes to make me smile. I pulled my rock from my satchel and showed him my trick, to which he demanded i teach him how to do. He leaned his head on my shoulder purposely, his arm hooking around my shoulders as he leaned in to whisper in to my ear, only the voice was not his, and was much more raspy and foreboding, a voice that seemed to whisper straight into my skull, "Soon..."_


End file.
